Ontario, Ottawa agree to speed up project approvals, including Ring of Fire mining

Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford have signed an agreement to speed up the approval of major projects under a “one project, one process, one decision” model.

This approach means that projects that would have been subject to environmental assessments at both the federal and provincial levels will now go through Ontario’s process alone.

The agreement also contains language that sets a deadline for the federal impact assessment agency to complete its review of roads to planned mining projects in the Ring of Fire region of northern Ontario by June 2026.

Webequie First Nation and Marten Falls First Nation are leading environmental assessments on three roads that would connect the provincial highway system to their communities and mining activities in the mineral-rich Ring of Fire.

While both First Nations say the roads will help lift the fly-in communities out of poverty, other nearby First Nations are not on board with the plan.

The Ring of Fire is home to major critical mineral deposits and the provincial and federal governments see it as a major economic driver.

With files from Liam Casey and Allison Jones, The Canadian Press